I will come to thee in the night, great prince.
HOLOFERNES. And thou wilt eat and drink with me in my triumph?
JUDITH (_after a pause_). If it pleases my lord.
HOLOFERNES. Thou wilt eat of my meat and drink of my wine, which I will
give thee?
JUDITH (_after a pause_). If my lord is alone and there is none with
him. For it is not right that any should see me.
HOLOFERNES. I will be alone. But Bagoas shall stand at the door of the
tent.
JUDITH. As my lord wills.
HOLOFERNES (_ecstatic, moving a little towards her; she responds_).
Fairest among women! Can it be!... The way of God is wondrous.
(_A half-veiled Assyrian woman appears through the hangings R., and
watches_.)
JUDITH (_solemnly and significantly_). There are yet hid greater things
than this, and thou hast yet seen but a few of his works.
HOLOFERNES (_sinking back on the couch, mysteriously afraid_).
Sorceress!
(_The watcher disappears_.)
JUDITH (_cooingly_) Does my lord shrink from his handmaid?
(Holofernes _stretches his hands to her_.)
CURTAIN.
SCENE III
SCENE: _The same_.
TIME: _The same night_.
_Wine and food are set by the couch_.
Pages:
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73